Former Horry County Security Chief Sues Over Gun Incident Fallout

HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WMBF) – A former security coordinator for Horry County Schools is suing the district and a board member, alleging he was unjustly blamed for a serious security breach when a student brought a gun into a school.

David Beaty, who served as the security coordinator from June 2012 until March 2024, filed the lawsuit on Thursday against Horry County Schools (HCS) and Board Member Howard Barnard. The suit stems from an incident on Feb. 6, when a student brought a firearm to Myrtle Beach Middle School, raising concerns among parents and the community.

According to the lawsuit, Beaty had previously suggested that HCS conduct an independent audit of the district’s safety measures, which yielded favorable results in June 2022. In the weeks leading up to the incident, Beaty participated in a board session with a third-party security expert, who advised against implementing a weapons detection system and instead recommended adhering to previous audit suggestions.

The lawsuit claims Barnard pushed for the installation of a weapons detection system, contrary to the expert’s guidance. Beaty summarized the expert’s findings during a board meeting on March 11, where tensions ran high and some members expressed discontent with HCS’s security protocols.

Following the meeting, Barnard allegedly moved for a public vote of no confidence in Beaty, which the lawsuit argues was not properly noticed on the agenda. “There was no mechanism for a vote of no confidence in Board Policy,” the lawsuit contends, adding that board members are not permitted to intervene in the day-to-day supervision of staff except through the superintendent.

Dr. Rick Maxey, the superintendent at the time, reportedly did not believe Beaty had committed any wrongdoing but felt pressured by the board and fearing for his job, ultimately decided to terminate Beaty’s contract. Beaty alleges he was defamed by Barnard’s claims regarding the security breaches.

Beaty also insists that enforcing security measures was not part of his job description. He stated that building-level administrators have the autonomy to implement security protocols and that he was on vacation when the incident occurred. The lawsuit highlights that some schools opted for daily student searches while Myrtle Beach Middle School did not, suggesting that he was not directly responsible.

After being placed on paid administrative leave following an ultimatum from the superintendent, Beaty’s position was later recreated under a different title for which he applied but was unsuccessful. He claims to have suffered professional and personal repercussions, advising the court of his experiences with embarrassment and mental anguish.

As part of the lawsuit, Beaty is seeking a jury trial, along with both actual and punitive damages. HCS has stated that it does not comment on pending litigation, and WMBF News has reached out to Barnard for a response concerning the lawsuit.

Stay with WMBF News for further updates on this developing story.